Non-recoiling firearm.



No. 891,778. PATBNTED JUNE 23,y 1908. L. MERTENS.

-RECOILING FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. 1908.

NON

3 SHEETS-SHEBT l.

mv KNBN aN PATBNTED JUNE 23 190s. No 891,778 L MERTKENSI NoN-REGOILING PIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. 190B.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTBD JUNE 23, 190s.

L. MBRTBNS. NON-RBGOILING FIREARM.

APPLIGATION FILED APB.. 25. 1908.

3 'SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATE

FFQE.

NON-RECOILING FIRE ARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1908.

T o all whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that. l, Llmwie MnirrnNs, a subjectof the King of Prussia and the German lhnperor, residing in London, England, have invented certain Improvements in Non- Recoiling Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide mechanism for application to fire-arms whereby the recoil of the latter, that is to say, the backward impulse iniparted to it upon the tiring of a charge, is absorbed partly by stopping the forward movement of certain masses and partly by the stressing of a spring or other suitable device, the idea being to avoid either altogether or to a great extent the direct effect of the recoil upon the casing or body of the weapon.

Another object of the invention is to provide recoil preventing mechanism in which the effect ofthe recoil is manifested only in the re-aetion of a spring or other device during the whole period of time from the discharge of the weapon until the final return of the parts of the fire-arm to a position ready for another shot.

I t is also desired to so construct the cartridge chamber of a lire-arm that the cartridgecase or shell shall not be distorted or otherwise injured by thc powder gases generated at the time of a discharge.

These and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, iii which Figure 1, is a vertical section of a rapid firing gun of the automatic type, showing the latter as equipped with my invention and illustrating the various parts 'in the positions occupied just prior to the firing of a cartridge; Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the fire arm shown in Fig. l, illustrating the parts in the positions occupied by them after a cartridge has been fired and while the spring is con'ipressed to its maximum extent; Fig. 3, is a plan of the iirearm shown in Figs. 1 and 2, certain of the parts being illustrated in section; Fig. 4, is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, of the fire-arm taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3 Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sections illustrating my invention as applied to a field gun, the various parts being shown as in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, in the positions occupied just before a charge has been fired and immediately after such iiring..

Referring to Figs. 1 to f1 of the above drawings A represents the casing of a lirearm constructed according to my invention which is provided with a cavity a for the reception of a st andard whereby it is supported. 'lhis casing carries within it a longitudinally movable barrel B connected by two bolts l) with an ejecting ring b and ablock b having projecting rearwardly from it a toothed rack b3, it being understood that both the ring and the block b2 are suitably guided within said casing. Projecting forwardly from the ring b is a linger r designed to engage the rear end of the cartridges :c in the cartridge belt zc so as to force these forward out of said belt into position to be engaged by the forwardly projecting part c of `the breech block C.

In the rear of the casing A is revolubl mounted a pinion a whose teeth mesh wit i the rack b3 and also with the second rack c which projects rearwardly from the breech block C, and there is a relatively heavy spring c2 within the" easing preferably encircling this rackand the block b2 with its rack, as illustrated. Said spring at one end abuts against the rear end of the casing and at the other engages the rear face of the breech block C so as to at all times tend to maintain this in its most forward posi# tion. It will be understood that the two racks c and b3 are so assembled that when the iii'st of these is in its niost forward position, the latter occupies its most rearward posit-ion. Slidably mounted upon the breech block C is a part 7i' which I shall designate as the hammer, while within said breech block is a spring c acting upona plate c4 to which is attached the rear end of the firing pin c5. Said pin extends throughthe tubular extension c of the breech block so as to be capable of engaging the primer of the cartridge properly inserted inA the cartridge chamber b5 at the rear 0f the barrel. The spring c is placed upon the firing pin so as to exert a braking force upon the plate c4 when this is moved forward by the spring to fire the cartridge.

Extending rearwardly from theplate 04 is a rod c7 having a hook designed to engage with the hooked end of a second rod b pivotally mounted vupon the block b2 and there is also attached to this second hooked rod an arm 197 capable of engaging a longitudinally movable rod d having a headed rejection d at the extreme rear of the fire-arm. Fastened to the forward end of the casing and projecting rearwardly so as to extension c.

be free to engage a cartridge as it is forced from the cartridge belt, 1s a fiat spx-111g a.

From Figs. 3 and 4 1t will be understood A that there. is an opening in the side of the main casing A through which a pivotally mounted lever f carried by the casing is permitted to extend into and engage the longitudinally movable breech block C. 'lhis lever is connected to one end of a spring f whose other end is connected with a slide F having a pawl f2 capable of engaging the cartridge belt so as to periodically move, this a )redetermined distance each time the lever y) is given a com )lete oscillation. 1t should be understood that the breech block with its extension c and rack c is equal in weight to the weights of the barrel B, the bolts Z1, ring b', and the rack b3, while the hammer c upon the breech block is de.- signed to have a weight which is to the weight of the breech block and its parts c and c as half of the cross-section of the projectile is to the difference between the cross-section of the back part 'of the car'- tridge case and said projectile.

Mounted at the front end of the extension of the breech block is a piece p for assisting in the ejection of empty cartridges from 'the barrel, having a downwardly projecting lug through which extends a headed rod p fixed to said breech block. Between the head of this rod and said lug there is confined a spring p2, which under working conditions serves to yieldingly connect said member p and said rod p.

Under operative conditions and with the parts occupying the positions shown in Fig. 1, the forward movement of the rod d causes the hook b to release the hook c7 so that the firing pin c5 is driven forward bythe spring c3 and so caused to engage and explode the primer of a cartridge an. As a result of the discharge of this cartrid e the movable breech block under action o the pressure due to the explosion is forced backward and strikes and carries back with it the hammer k. At the same time the barrel is driven forward to a small extent by thefrictional force of the projectile passing through it and also by the pressure exerted by the powder gases as well as by the force transmitted from the rack c through the pinion a to the rack b3 and bolts b. As a consequence the spring c2 is com ressed, and the extension c of the breech b ook having suitable cartridge grip ping mechanism (not shown) removes the empty 'cartridge shell from the cartridge chamber of the barrel and delivers this upon an inclined surface m2 so that it is expelled from the casing. At the same time the forward movement of the ring b', which as before noted is attached to the barrel b, forces a second cartridge from the belt and delivers it directly in front of the breech block After the projectile has left the barrel and the pressure of the powder gases in the latter is equal to the atmospheric pressure, the barrel and the breech block continue their movement apart until the spring cz is compressed to its maximum extent when said parts are brought to rest. Immediately thereafter the reaction of the compressed spring .again forces forward the breech block C and, through the rack c the pinion a. and rack b, move the barrel B to therear. As a result the fresh cartridge, which is pressed downwardly by the spring (1,", is guided by a. Vsuitably formed piece af connected lo the rear end of the barrel, and is forced by the extension c of the breech block l into the cartridge chamber. 'lhe forward movement of the breech block causes the oscillation ol' the lever f with a consequent movement.. of the slide F and cartridge belt carried thereby, so that a new cartridge is brought in position in front of the finger b4.

If the rod d be arranged to be temporarily locked in its inner position, the breech block C will at the completion of its forward movement under the action of the expanding spring c2 cause the arm V of the hook b to again strike'this rod so that the actuating spring of the firing pin, which was compressed as the breech block moved forwardly, is again free to expand and forces the firing pin into engagement with the primer of a second cartridge. If, however, this rod d has not been pushed inwardl the various parts ol' the weapon will ho d and remain in the various relative posit-ions illustrated in Fig. 1. By means of the crank A the pinion connecting the two racks may be operated so that the weapon may be fired at will instead of being made wholly automatic as would otherwise be the case. It is to be understood that when operating automatically th(` hammer c continues to move forward al'ler the breech block C has come to rest, so that when said block is again driven to the rear by the explosion of another cartridge, it meets the forwardly moving hammer, which before it is brought to rest, absorbs a portion of the energy of recoil possessed by said breech block.

In the modified form of my invention such as would be employed when it is applied to a field gun such as illustrated in Fig. (i, I mount the main case or body A2 of the gun ,upon wheels g in the well-known manner,

and place within said case or' body a longitudinally slidable barrel B. Between this barrel and the body is placed a relatively heavy spring i and l also place between these parts a second or braking spring i designed to bring the barrel to rest when it has been moved under the action of said main spring t'. Upon the casing or body I also mount two Ior any desired suitable number ol' locking pawls 'i2 which are arranged to engage with suitable recesses in the barrel when the springt has been compressed to a maximum extent and which may-be moved at will by any desiredA mechanism (not shown) to cause them to release said barrel. There is also placed upon the Vcasing a firing pawl 'i3 designed to engage a lever '114 mounted upon the breech of the gun and having connected to it a firing pin i5. The rear end of the barrel is,

provided with a cam surface designed to permit the awl 'i3 to turn on its pivot so as to engage am then release the firing pin lever if* which is at all times acted on by a spring i tending to move it toward a cartrid e.

Assuming that the variousparts o the apparatus are in the positions i lustrated in Fig. and that there is a cartridge in the barrel ready to be fired, -I move the pawls 'i2 out of engagement with the barrel so as to permit this latter to move forward relatively to the casing under the action of the compressed spring fi. Before the barrel, however, reaches the end of its forward movement, the firing pawl i3 engages the firing lever fi* and after compressing the spring i releases the said firing lever so that this latter under t-he action of said spring, moves forward and causes the iiring pin to explode the primer of a cartridge. The recoil due to such explosion is absorbed partly in stop ing the forwardmovement of the barrel w ose weight is designed to bear a definite relation to the force of explosion, and partly in again compressing the spring fi. By the time this com Jression has reached its maximum the pawls i2 automatically engage the recesses in the barrel B and retain said spring in its com ressed position, with the various parts in p ace for another shot.

While I have illustra-ted the fire-arms provided with s rings c2 and i for resisting the movement of the various parts and restoring said parts to their norma-l ositions after a shot, it is to be understoot that any other suitable means for receiving and storing energy and afterward giving it out may be em loyed as a substitute.

lPclaim:

l. ',lhe combination in a recoil preventing device for fire arms of a casing or body, a structure movable relatively thereto, means for exploding a charge, a spring, and means for causing the recoil from said explosion to be partially absorbed in reversing the direction of motion of said movable part and iartly in compressing said sprin said means being arranged to set said movale structure in motion prior to the explosion of the charge.

2. The combination in a recoil preventing device for fire arms, of a casing, a barrel movable relatively thereto, means for exploding a charge, a movable breech block, and a movable recoil absorbing piece carried thereby, said iece being given a movement b the breec i block opposing that of the breecfi block as caused by the recoil, a spring placed to be compressed by recoil movement of the breech block, and mechanism connecting the barrel and thebreech block, the weight of the barrel and its connected arts bein substantially equal to that of t e breech lock and its parts.

3. The combination in'a recoil reventing device for fire arms, of a casing, a arrel longitudinally movable therein, a gear mounted in the casin a breech block for ,said barrel also movab e in the casing, racks respectively connected to the barrel and to the breech block so as to permit of their movement in opposite directions under force of a recoil, said racks meshing with said gear, and means for exploding a cartridge in the barrel. 4. The combination in a recoil preventing device for fire arms, of acasing or body, a breech block movable relatively thereto, a barrel and means for exploding a charge, means for resisting movement of said breech block as caused by the explosion of the charge, a movable piece arranged to be in motion at the time of the explosion of the charge and thereby cause the force of the recoil to be partly expended upon said mov- `ing piece and partly upon said means for resisting the movement of the breech block.

5. The combination in a recoil reventing device for fire-arms of a casing, a arrel longitudinally movable therein, a breech block also movable in the casing, a iece slidably mounted upon the breech bloc, and means connecting the breech block and the barrel so that movement of said block to the rear causes forward movement of the barrel and vice versa, a spring placed to be compressed by rearward movement of the breech block,

with means for automatically firing a succession of cartridges, the parts being so arranged that the rearward movement of the breech block under the action of an explosion occurs while the movable piece thereon is still moving forward.

6. The combination with a firearm, of a body or casing, a barrel and a breech block supported by the casing so as to be free to move in o osite directions under the action of a recoi i-)rom aniex losion of a charge, a freel movable cylindrical piece mounted on the greech block for diminishing the recoil, means for automatically reloading the ire arm after an explosion of a charge, and means for automatically returning the arts to their normal positions lafter they llave been removed therefrom. 1

7. The combination in a fire arm of a casing or body, a barrel and a breech block mounted thereon so as to be movable longitudinally in op osite directions under the action of a recoil rom an explosion of a charge, means for braking the movement of t e breech block and subsequently returning'it to its normal position, with a movable structure designed to be in motion during the explosion of a charge, saidmotion being in a direction opposite to that of the breech block due to a recoil, and means for firing a cartridge after said structure has started to move. Y

8. A non-recoiling fire arm ineludin a movable breech block, a Weight slidaly mounted thereon, means for firing a charge, and a spring for setting said Wei rht in motion immedlatel charge, sai( parts being adapted to cause the prior to the exp osion of the force of the recoil of such an explosion to be absorbed partially by said spring and partially in reversing the direction of motion of 15- LUDWIG MERTENS.'

Witnesses:

LANIA SHAPIRO, WILLIAM'GERALD REYNOLDS. 

